Sunsets can be glorious to watch, even knowing that what follows will be much dimmer and less satisfying. When I first spotted this limited edition Saab in the waning hours of an autumn day, that analogy was not lost on me. This striking-looking car represents the pinnacle of the 900s development, for not long after it was built, Saab began its slow demise towards irrelevance. Of course, this is no ordinary Saab; it’s one of only a few thousand 900 Turbo SPGs that were sold in the US. And due to that rarity, it makes a great subject from which to glance back at the 900’s long and interesting story.

The 900 was an unusual car for the 1980s and ’90s, but to understand it, one needs to understand its ancestors. Saab was a small company with a big history of innovation and creative engineering. The company’s automaking roots stretched back to Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (a Swedish airplane manufacturer with the acronym SAAB), and its first car, the Saab 92, debuted in 1949. That car featured novelties such as front-wheel drive, aerodynamic design, and a monocoque body. Importantly, Saabs weren’t exotics, but rather cars for the masses – the Scandinavian masses at first.

This Scandinavian and aeronautical heritage gave Saab’s products a unique appeal that slowly reached outside of its home country. The Swedish climate demanded simple but sturdy vehicles, and consumers who appreciated those qualities formed loyal client bases in export markets. Early Saabs were simple and sturdy, yet also very odd – with their rounded shapes and 2-stroke engines. The 92 evolved into the 93 and then the 96.

The 96’s successor was the 99, introduced in the late 1960s. Saab’s decision to make this a completely new car with a 4-stroke engine was probably the biggest single decision of the firm’s history. Slightly more upscale and mainstream than earlier models, the 99 still maintained Saab’s unique and durable character.

During the 99’s tenure, Saab introduced two permutations that would become mainstays of the brand for the following two decades: A hatchback (originally called WagonBack, above) and a turbocharged model. The 99’s legacy never left Saab, as it formed the basis for Saab’s next venture, the 900.

While the 99 was a breakthrough car in terms of character, the 900 was Saab’s Greatest Hit. Introduced for 1979, it was clearly an update of the 99, but carved out its own distinguishable niche. Visually, the 900 offered increased overall length (by 8.6”), a stretched nose, lengthened wheelbase, and a larger windshield. Content-wise (particularly in the US, where the higher-end 99 GLE sold well), the 900 edged Saab even further upscale. Increasingly, Saab became known as a premium brand, though one still focused on practicality and creative engineering.

Yet the 900 was still an updated 99, a design stretching well back to the 1960s. If any manufacturer could revamp a decade-old car and transform it into its Greatest Hit, Saab could. The quirky styling was immune to trends, so it didn’t look any less dated in the 1980s than it did in the 1960s – and Saab’s core customers valued individuality and practicality rather than trend-following.

In the US, Saab’s customer strongholds at the dawn of the 900 era were in cold climates such as New England, where front-wheel drive had been an early attraction. The 900 brought many more people and regions into the Saab fold, partly by being in the right place at the right time.

1980s US-market car trends included front-wheel drive, compact size, turbocharged engines, hatchbacks, safety enhancements, and sports-sedan handling. By the time most automakers began introducing these concepts into their fleets, Saab was a veteran of all of them. All told, about one-third of the 900’s total output was sold in the US.

source of sales figures: www.left-lane.com

After averaging around 12,000 US sales over its first three model years, 900 sales began to boom, tripling that number in a few short years, and becoming America’s fastest-growing premium brand. But just as quickly as sales rose, they began to fall again in the late 1980s. Tougher competition from European and Japanese brands, as well as Saab’s own upmarket 9000 all ate into the 900’s sales. And while Saab enthusiasts appreciated the car’s loyalty to its heritage, many buyers began to view the 900 as a relic, rather than a competitor to other higher-end cars such as Acuras and BMWs.

The 900, though, didn’t fade away with a whimper. The turbo version remained a consistent favorite of performance enthusiasts. Turbo engines were optional on 900s since the model was first introduced. The original 900 Turbo’s 135 hp increased to 160 by the late 1980s, and provided the Saab with exciting performance. Saab’s turbo, however, was not unobtrusive from a driver’s perspective. To make use of the turbocharger’s blast of acceleration, a driver must keep the rpms within boost range. This required a good amount of shifting, and the 900’s manual transmission could be somewhat balky, with its long shifter seeming almost out of place in a sporting car.

Throughout the 1980s, numerous changes were introduced throughout the 900 line, including a revised front end, additional equipment and safety features, the addition of a convertible… and, in 1985, the emergence of the Special Performance Group – or SPG…

Since Saab didn’t see the need to explain the SPG’s purpose in life, we will here. The SPG served as the 900 range’s performance flagship. Coming only as a hatchback and with a manual transmission, it was always intended to have limited appeal. Unlike many other companies’ special editions, this one wore no badges. In fact, one of the items on the SPG spec sheet was a “badge delete” – it doesn’t say SPG, 900 or Turbo anywhere on it.

If passersby didn’t know what it was, Saab enthusiasts sure did. The SPG came with slightly increased horsepower (15 extra hp for the 1990 model) due to higher amounts of turbo boost, and for 1987+ SPGs, a reworked suspension package. This suspension included larger (195/60VR15) tires, shorter springs and stiffer shocks – resulting in about a 1” reduction in ride height, and noticeable handling improvement.

While the performance improvements were subtle, the appearance package was more apparent. Distinctive 3-spoke wheels, urethane lower body fairings and a front air dam made the SPG stand out among more conservative Saabs. Colors were limited: From 1985-89, SPGs were available in either black or gray (depending on the year). The color palette opened up in 1990 to either black or Talladega Red, while in the SPG’s final year of 1991, Beryl Green was added as well. All SPGs came with gray leather upholstery.

Our featured car is a 1990 model, and it was parked on a block with 6 other Saabs, which was either an incredible coincidence or evidence that a Saab collector lives nearby. On the other side of the street was a gray 1988 SPG. The stealthy monochromatic treatment worked particularly well with this package, and it’s a rare example where gray was a car’s most dramatic available color.

Driving an SPG was fun for drivers who enjoyed interacting with their cars. The turbocharged engine delivered lively performance, but needed to be kept above 3,000 rpm to benefit from its 175 hp (peaking at 5,500 rpm). This was an enjoyable engine for its time – remarkable considering that the engine itself traced its origins to the 99, and Saab sourced the blueprints from Triumph in the mid 1960s. This is the same basic engine that powered Triumph’s Dolomite – it’s a longitudinally-mounted slant-four at a 45° angle, which makes it easy to envision how it is essentially half of a Triumph Stag’s V-8. Of course, Saab modified the engine extensively, and by 1990 it sported a DOHC 16-V head and an intercooled turbocharger.

SPGs rode stiffly, but not jarringly, and the steering was light yet accurate. Though other Saabs could exhibit noticeable body roll, there was very little with an SPG, thanks to the stiffened and lowered (but still comfortable) suspension.

The 900’s interior seemed unconventional when the car was first introduced, but it aged well. Featuring large, supportive bucket seats, the 900 presented a relaxed, yet no-nonsense approach to accommodations. Jet-design influence is noticeable in the dashboard, as the controls were designed so that a driver could operate nearly anything without taking his eyes off the road. Large circular dials operate HVAC and headlight functions, the radio is placed high on the dash, and all instrumentation is large and easily read. The door panel looks plain because the power window controls are nestled between the seats, near the ignition.

Yes, that’s where the ignition is located – in the console between the front seats. On manual transmission cars, the gearshift must be in reverse to remove the key, and then it is locked in reverse until the key is reinserted. This was supposedly done in the interest of theft prevention – in any event, it worked. Thefts of Saab 900s were extremely rare.

Rear seats were comfortable, with ample space for adults. The real benefit of a Saab’s rear seat, though, was that it could fold completely flat – quite unusual for the times – revealing a 72”-long cargo area that could hold 56.6 cu. ft. of cargo. The rear compartment of a Saab hatchback was long and flat enough for an adult to sleep in it. Even with the rear seat up, the Saab could hold 22 cu. ft. of cargo, displaying versatility that was virtually unmatched by other cars of its size.

Saabs excelled at functionality. They were not quirky just for the sake of quirkiness, but were rather full of thoughtful, if unconventional, touches. The hood opened uniquely, clamshell-style, first sliding forward, then upwards for easy engine access. The fuse box was easily accessible at the side of the engine bay. Door sills were set back so that people wouldn’t rub their legs on dirty sills. The cargo area featured a wide bumper-height opening for easy loading. Bumpers were “self-restoring” – reverting to their original shape after minor impacts. The wrap-around windshield and thin A-pillars ensured excellent visibility. Many interior panels could be easily removable by large exposed screws, rather than hidden and fiddly clips. The list can go on, but this synopsis provides a snapshot of Saabness.

Saab knew that its core customer base was impressed by such functionality, even if the end result looked unlike other cars.

Changes came slowly to the 900, so this 1990 model would be largely familiar to a driver of any earlier 900. 1990 SPGs gained an airbag (like all 900s), as well as a leather-wrapped steering wheel, ABS brakes, a slightly enlarged fuel tank, and 10 more horsepower than the ’89 SPG, thanks to a reworked turbocharger system. Our featured car listed for $28,995.

SPGs are rare – only 7,625 were imported to the US between 1985 and 1991, including just 771 cars in the 1990 model year such as our featured car. 1990 though, was a tarnished year in Saab history: It was the year when General Motors acquired a 50% stake in Saab, ending the company’s independence. Pessimists immediately predicted the end to Saab’s uniqueness under the giant GM umbrella. They were right. It was one of the worst corporate marriages in recent history; GM eviscerated Saab, and just over twenty years later Saab was kaput.

The auto world is a less interesting place without Saab, even if most consumers barely noticed its passing. But like watching an evening’s sunset, just looking at our featured car is a treat, even with the knowledge of what followed. And for those who appreciate Saabs and their idiosyncrasies, there are few better examples of the species than a 900 SPG.

33 Comments

I will always consider my failure to own a Saab one of my greatest disappointments in automobiles. New, they were too expensive for my budget. Used, there was always something in the way – usually an automatic transmission, especially in the 900 convertible I test drove and loved, but it had a damned automatic (so I bought a ’90 325is instead); and my brother-in-law’s 93 9-3 which was offered to me upon trade in time. Loved the car, but an automatic again.

Now, what remains is getting too old for anything other than a pure toy/collector car – and I’ve got enough motorcycles to fill that slot.

Come to think of it, that’s what really kiboshed Saab ownership for me. Every time I was ready to buy one, another bike got in the way.

At least in the 1980s, Saabs had a fairly large spread of MSRP, depending on model. For example, in 1988 (the year of my base 900) a 900 3-door base model was $14,983, a 900S 3-door was $18,718 and a 900 Turbo 3-door was $21,995.

So if you were willing to drive a base stick-shift, it was not as expensive as expected. That said, a 1988 Toyota Camry started at $10,898 and a 1988 VW Jetta started at $8,990, so it definitely wasn’t cheap.

I always thought that the Saab of the 80’s were smartly designed, drive experience, had character, and smartly priced.

It was a premium import, that was not premium priced like say BMW / Mercedes-Benz. I believe that even the Saab slightly eclipsed the price of Volvo’s. As a teenager seeing these in the 80’s, I always thought what a unique car it was.

The automatic transmissions in these cars were pretty dismal, a front-drive version of the ancient Borg-Warner type 35/37 3-speed. That would be the one that even AMC gave up on by 1972. (It was used in the Saab 900 through 1993 for sedan and hatchback, 1994 for convertibles. Probably the last car on the market to use this transmission.)

The problem with the Saab 900 manual transmissions is that they were very fragile. Originally designed for the 99’s power level (under 100 hp), they failed with alarming regularity in the 900, especially turbocharged models. This is in stark contrast with the engines which could easily rack up hundreds of thousands of miles without an overhaul even when abused.

The 2-door 900S is somewhat of a cult car. I know some people who have a daily driver & parts cars in their yards.
I owned one once. Had some common electrical problems…. easily repaired.
Most common problem was debris getting into the ignition switch as it is located horizontally between the seats next to the E-brake. I know of someone who spilled an entire 12 oz. bottle of Coke into the ignition switch.
Easiest clutch to replace bar none! Clutch is located right behind radiator in front of the engine. If you have done the clutch once, you can do it again in under 2 hours.
Photo of valve cover gasket replacement

I’ve worked on these and it’s not too tough. There’s enough clearance. The water pump is also pretty easy to R&R. The alternator is a pain to remove, but the brush/regulator assembly can be replaced with it in place.

There was a woman in the U.K. that had an original Saab 900 (I think like a 1985 model). With the original engine and transmission, many parts replaced of course. she drove the car for many years and managed to put over 400K miles on the car and the Saab kept running. an impressive feat.

Sure it’s a person driving habbits, and how they keep are a car up that will keep it running.

However, to get 400K miles out of a car with the original Trans/Engine. The design and functionality of the car also has to be flawless as well.

I would really love to see a mid 80’s Saab (super rare) SC Turbocharged coupe. With the modified body kit, wheels, spoiler etc. I tricked out Saab that sold in very very small numbers and cost about $22K back then,

If you ever see one in print, or on the road it would simply take your breath away. Tasteful modification that placed the Saab in a league of it’s own.

“ Jet-design influence is noticeable in the dashboard, as the controls were designed so that a driver could operate nearly anything without taking his eyes off the road.”

Contrary to ad copy, I hardly think aerospace engineers (for prop or jet planes) have a monopoly of concern for dash ergonomics. And look at how busy cockpit instrument panels are; in concept, they bear a stronger resemblance to certain old British sports car dashes (a piece of metal with gauge holes) than they do to Saabs, however good they may be.

So true, the interior dash design broke major ground. All the controls were logically placed, looked like they came from a air craft.

The overall flow of the car should be a mandatory study in how to make a flawless car design from bumper to bumper. Nothing was conventional about this car (nothing). It broke all the rules for the era it was created in.

A very nice overview of the SPG in particular and 900 in general. This was THE car that I wanted in the 80’s, first the mid-80’s standard turbo with the US-market headlight assemblies (in silver please!) and then later the SPG in the charcoal color.

James Bond had a silver 900T in the continuation books which I suspect had something to do with my earlier desire before I knew much more about them, but then they cars themselves won me over by being so interesting and different. Alas, I never did end up with one which is kind of weird.

A friend in high school had a 1979 5-door Turbo in maroon with maroon velour interior (Swedish Brougham?) that once the turbo lag was overcome, went like stink. It was quite impressive and handled very well also. Good times…

The velour interior of the early 900s was… unique. And the colors were all very vivid as well. One review I read from the time said that it resembled a space age bordello. Since words can’t quite do it justice, here’s a picture.

Saab only offered the velour interior for 2 or 3 years, and they changed the seats just before sales began taking off. I wonder if those two things are related?

Oh that takes me back! Bordello is the correct word, it was just missing the tassles and fringes. But so very comfortable and supportive. You can’t really see it here but the window winders were a fantastic 70’s design as well with a very oversize circle and a stubby handle and a matching smaller circle for the knob as I recall. I believe there was a chrome accent on it as well. Thanks for the pic!

Thought it was interesting that Porschephile Jerry Seinfeld drove a 900 in “Seinfeld”. For a while, they were very hot cars. In fact, in the James Bond novels that John Gardner wrote (the first ones since Ian Fleming’s originals), he made Bond’s car a 900 Turbo for a few books. The fan outrage soon had him back in an Aston.

I worked with a guy who bought a new black 900 Turbo for about $16,000 in 1984. He tried to trade it in two years later. The depreciation was brutal. I think they were offering him $4,500.

As with Jim above, John Gardner’s Bond introduced me to the Saab. By the second or third book, Gardner had put him into a new Bentley Turbo sedan – the massive sticker on a mid-ranking civil service pay explained away as some uncle who had died leaving Bond some money. The first non-Fleming Bond was ‘Colonel Sun’ by Robert Markham (Kingsley Amis) in 1967.

A friend had a couple of handmedown 900s. I drove one once, it seemed very narrow in the cockpit.

I appreciate the reassurance. I craved Saabs throughout the 80s, but never got around to getting one. In truth, I don’t feel any shame in now driving one that’s based on a GM platform, given that Saabs have always had impure lineage. But I can’t help but be aware how much more special and genuine the 99/900 was.

my father had a 900 with a manual trans in the late eighties. i credit it’s construction for saving my father from serious injury. the outside of the car was crushed but from the inside you couldn’t even tell there was any damage. also, that was the first front wheel drive car that i actually enjoyed driving. it’s too bad that there is no equivalent brand today.

My Dad had a early 80s 900 sedan when I was little, he may have actually had it when I was born in fact. I thought it was an incredibly ugly car back then(beige paint didn’t help) but the forward tilting hood and interior novelties were very cool to me. I’ve really come a long way in my Saab appreciation since.

Personally I liked the 99s much more overall and the details of the early 80s 900s more than what I see on these final examples. The plain grey or black interiors, 3 spoke silvery wheels, cookie cutter silver/black/bright red colors, and side cladding all screamed “keep buying me yuppies! I’m more like a E30 now!”. Beige with brown interiors like my Dads and other weird scandavinian colors on other examples I’ve seen are much more in the spirit of the cars.

My first and current car. Bought when I was the wrong side of 35 and had a 3 month old baby and lived in London (UK). That was a year and a half ago and all still going strong, especially the Saab.

In my ideal world it would have the handling balance of a Lotus and rear wheel power to boot. But in my real world this is about as good as it gets for an everyday classic: totally (touch velour) reliable; fast enough to be fun when you provoke the little orange needle round the turbo/APC dial; comfy enough for long runs and hacking around town. And it has the most staggering boot. I don’t mean with the seats down, I never bother with that, I mean with the seats up.
Finally, I love its looks. The earlier flat front perhaps even better looking. But every time I take the cover off, even if just to go down the road in it to the supermarket with the nipper, I think